


Resonance

by Chloe_3_Price



Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempt at Humor, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Fear, Fluff and Angst, Heartbreak, Love/Hate, Serious, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:07:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22303876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chloe_3_Price/pseuds/Chloe_3_Price
Summary: Ten years into the infection of the Cordyceps plague, we meet Mickey and her girlfriend Gina. They've both been put through a lot over the years, and when they meet Joel and Tommy, things begin to look up...for a while at least.Follow the story of Mickey and Joel as they work through their past and try to get along for the future.
Relationships: Joel (The Last of Us)/Original Female Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Female Character





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Only You

~10 Years ago~  
Mickey sat up in the old rickety bed, her hands running over the rough canvas of the mattress before looking down at Gina, her fiery red hair visible even in the dim moonlight. Mickey sighed, she hasn't been able to sleep as of late, the Scavengers have been terrorizing anyone who wasn't fully in their cult, at least that's how Mickey saw them, they had been living in this camp for so many years now, and they did their best to stay under the radar.  
She and Gina were lucky enough to seem in it while also not being a part of their world, you have to do what you can to survive. It was when one of the hyper fanatics of the Scavengers suggested human sacrifice to keep the Clickers away that Mickey started to feel on edge. Could some people really be that ignorant to think something like that would work? History answered her question, naturally, with a blaring 'yes'.  
Mickey touched the deep X shaped scar on her right cheek, remembering the last settlement she was in, and it left a bitter taste in her mouth. It's sad that even after nearly 10 years into an apocalypse where a plague has spread and infected nearly half of the world's population, by her calculations anyway of how North America seems now, that there are still people willing to persecute her for something as simple as over who she loves. She really shouldn't be surprised, after all, history seems to love to repeat itself.  
The last settlement, when Mickey fell in love with Gina, the whole village freaked out on them. Started hurling Bible verses at them, because that's what people do when they're afraid of something they don't understand. Chant old archaic shit that they themselves don't understand or cherry pick from the Bible.  
Mickey scoffed, rolling her shoulders and leaving the warmth of the bed to move to look out the window.  
She leaned against the window frame, eyes studying the guards around the lit torches, shaking her head, watching the orange color from the flames casting shadows over their faces. She wishes someone would come along who would be willing to take the Scavengers out. They needed to be stopped before they actually start sacrificing people. Her stomach still turned at the thought.  
Mickey may not like most people anymore, but she's not stupid. You need people to regrow.  
"Mickey...what's wrong?" Gina sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, before bringing her knees up to her chest, hugging them, eyeing Mickey's face, bathed in silvery moonlight and soft glow from the torches below their house. Mickey was chewing her bottom lip, deep in her thoughts, until she finally looked at Gina and shrugged.  
"Nothin' major, love. Sorry if I woke ya." Gina smiled softly at her counterpart, patting the bed next to her, and Mickey smirked, quickly going to her lovers side.  
"You didn't wake me, I rolled over and found only emptiness in the bed." Gina assured her, laying down and curling up close to Mickey, where she always felt the most safe, their foreheads nearly touching. Mickey chuckled to herself, tracing her fingers along the curve of Gina's cheek, before tucking some of her red hair behind her ear.  
Mickey closed the small distance between them, her lips brushing softly against Gina's, their breath mixing together before Mickey finally kissed her. Gina pressed herself against Mickey hungrily, her hand running the length of Mickey's back, as Mickey rolled them to be on top of Gina   
Mickey nibbled on her bottom lip, and Gina moaned, wrapping her legs around Mickey's waist.   
"Hey! Who the fuck are you?!" Their tender moment was ruined by the shouting of the guards close to their window. Mickey looked over at the window again, as Gina released her, and Mickey growled but jumped to her feet, moving to look out the window.  
Two men she's never seen before were having a standoff with the guards, Mickey's brow quirked, who would break into this compound? She wondered to herself.  
"What is it?" Gina asked, leaving the bed to join Mickey at the window, looking down upon the scene. "Oh shit!" Gina breathed out, grasping Mickey's wrist. "We have to save them!" Gina urged, pulling at Mickey's tattooed arm, and Mickey clucked her tongue, before catching her own bottom lip between her white teeth again in thought. "Mickey!" Gina whispered shouted, and Mickey shrugged her arm from her girlfriends grasp.  
"Why?" Gina gaped at Mickey, had she really just heard her? She knew Mickey was more closed off now that she had been tortured for being bisexual, Gina had been too, but she tried to not let it make her cynical, you can't let the hate of a few turn you into them too.  
"Mickey, they could sacrifice them." Gina stressed to her lover, tugging at her arm again. "Why can't let them start that!" Mickey sighed, warring internally with herself, before turning and following Gina out of their small house.

"Heya boys, what's all the shoutin' for?" Mickey greeted as jovially as she could muster, slapping one of the beefier guards on his forearm as he towered over her 5-foot frame, while she eyed the two newcomers, who had their hands up in a placating manner.  
"These two were sneaking around our camp." Mickey's eyes narrowed, as if she was squinting through what little light was available, trying to see who they were.  
"Come closer," she beckoned the men with a wave of her hand, as she turned to look at the guards. "I'm expectin' some friends of ours we met along the way here. Sent out word that there was this settlement if they needed shelter. And it's dark as shit out here tonight." Mickey lied, as the two men came towards her, she turned her head towards them and gave them both a subtle wink. "Yes! Ya guys finally made it! We weren't expecting ya until tomorrow, what didn't ya sleep?" She laughed, to anyone outside her head, you'd think she's known these men her whole life, as she playfully punched the lighter haired man on his chest. The two men did well to cover their confusion too, as they laughed as well, hugging Mickey, all carrying on like they're happy to see each other again.  
"There was no time to sleep. We needed to get away from a hoard, we lost 'em and just kept movin'." The light haired one continued the lie, and Mickey turned to the guards, waving her hand back towards the newcomers.   
"I'll be talkin' responsibility for them. I'll let them stay at my house." Mickey nodded her head for the men to follow her, and they all filed back into their nearby house, with the guards grumbling something about not liking outsiders.

Once the door shut behind Mickey, she turned on the men, eyes glaring daggers at them, causing the two men to get into a defensive stance against the much shorter girl.  
"Now, who the fuck are ya two?" The two men exchanged a glance.  
"I'm Tommy and this is my brother, Joel." The one now dubbed Tommy answered her, his stance obviously trying to keep them looking as non threatening as possible, Mickey's hazel-green eyes scanned them both.  
"Why are ya here?" She continued her questioning, and Tommy raised his hands in a gesture of peace, stepping towards Mickey.  
"We are just tryin' to pass through is all." Mickey folded her arms over her chest, not buying any of their shit.  
"Mickey, please calm down." Gina cooed, touching her forearm softly. "I'm Gina, and this is Mickey Two-Knives. She's my-"  
"Cousin." Mickey cut her off, not trusting these men with too much information, her eyes still narrowed dangerously at them.  
"Mickey Two-Knives?" Joel finally spoke, stepping closer to the girls too, and Mickey made a challenging face at him. "What kinda name is that?"  
"Take another step and find out." She unfolded her arms, reaching to the table behind her where her twin 18 inch bowie knives sat in wait. Joel's eyes followed her motions and he quickly backed down, not wanting to draw any more attention to themselves than needed at the moment. "Smart choice." She praised him, and Gina scoffed.  
"Don't mind her, she hasn't been sleeping." Mickey looked at Gina as if she just betrayed her, Gina had always been to trusting, giving out too much information, no matter how mundane.  
"Ladies, please." Tommy interjected, placing his hands palms down in a 'take it easy' fashion, causing both ladies to stare him down.  
"We don't want any trouble." Joel continued for his brother. "We just want a place to crash for a little while." Gina smiled warmly at the two before motioning for them to follow her.  
"You're in luck, we do have a spare bedroom, you're welcome to it." Mickey's jaw dropped, her frustration for her girlfriends hospitality weighing on her, before she stomped along behind Joel like a petulant child.  
Joel looked over his shoulder at the shorter woman, as she brushed away the blond dreads that had fallen into her face, before she crossed her arms over her chest again.  
"What?" She snapped at him, glaring once more, her southern drawl heavy in her anger, and Joel just shook his head, grumbling to himself. He wasn't sure what her problem was, but he kind of wished she'd get over herself. If he and Tommy wanted to, they would have already killed them.  
"Nothin', nothin' at all, Miss Two-Knives." Joel stated, condescendingly which resulted in Mickey shoving him slightly, and he turned on her quickly, and she didn't even flinch. Gina and Tommy were already in the spare room, leaving these two to glare each other down in peace.  
"Ya should show me some respect, Joel."   
"Yeah, like you've been abundantly showin' me?" He countered, and she scowled at him, stepping closer to him, her head tilting back so she could keep eye contact with him.  
"I haven't killed ya yet, have I?" Her gaze was unfaltering, challenging him again, as if they were going to figure out who was alpha of this newly formed faction. Joel's jaw muscles flexed and bunched as they continued their pissing match, until Gina poked her head out of the bedroom.  
"Mickey…" Gina's tone was stern, the only person who was allowed to even begin to talk to Mickey in such a way. The anger ebbed in Mickey as her hazel eyes slid to Gina's soft features, before glancing back up to look onto Joel's own hazel colored eyes, giving him one last dominating look before shoulder checking him as she walked passed him.

~

"That Mickey sure is something, huh, Joel?" Tommy teased his older brother as they unloaded some of their things from their packs. Joel grunted, shooting his brother a warning glance that only cause Tommy to snicker at him. "Oh come on, I know you well enough. You like those kinda women. One that won't bow down to your shit."  
"Knock it off." Joel threatened sternly, as he checked their ammo supply, trying to shake the conversation. Tommy was right of course, Joel did have a thing for challenging women, and Mickey definitely fit that criteria. "She's frustrating at best." Joel lied, and Tommy gave him a shit eating grin that Joel didn't see, before shaking his head.  
"Whatever you say." Tommy conceded before flopping onto the bed, sighing tiredly. "I'm hitting the sack, you should do the same." Joel turned and watched Tommy getting comfortable, deciding that he was going to ask Gina if they had any food to spare for them.  
"Hey-" Joel began, seeing a figure by the window, realizing it was Mickey and not Gina and he sighed. "Oh, it's you, nevermind." Mickey turned to look at him, her eyes vacant, lost in her thoughts again, chewing on her thumbnail absently.  
"What?" She asked, before her attention went back out the window and Joel walked over to see what she was so concentrated on, leaning on his forearm against the wall.  
"I was gonna ask for some food. What are you looking at?" She scoffed, rolling her eyes at him, before walking away towards the kitchen.  
"Ya comin'?" Joel watched her as he pushed himself off the wall to follow along behind her.  
"Not even breathin' hard." He retorted and Mickey's eyes widened slightly, before a smile spread across her face and she began to laugh.  
"Ok, ya caught me off guard on that one. I still don't trust ya, though." Joel raised his hands before shrugging.   
"Wouldn't dream of wanting you to trust me." She rolled her eyes again, still smiling slightly, as she dug through her pantry.  
"I'm only givin' ya this because Gina made me promise to be nice to y'all." Joel nodded, looking through the cans that Mickey laid out before him on the table, and she placed her hands on her hips.   
"You two seem close." Mickey gave him a curt nod, she knew he was trying to get her to open up, even though he's done nothing of the such in return. "Been here long?" Another quick nod, and he sighed. "Look, I don't trust you anymore than you trust me."  
"Good. Ya shouldn't." Was her quick reply, and he groaned at her, picking up the cans and mumbling a thanks, before walking back towards the rooms, only to stop by the window again.  
"What's the deal with this camp anyway? We heard some things the closer we got." Mickey joined him by the window, the blue haze of the sky right before the sun comes up was a beautiful backdrop of the mountain town.  
"I call 'em a cult." Mickey divulged, side eyeing Joel, before pointing down at the little group gathering near the entrance of the small town. "See him, the man with the long braided black hair? That's the leader." Joel sat the cans of food down on the side table, leaning on his hands on the window seal, before he looked ag Mickey.  
"He the one who gave you that scar?" Mickey quickly covered her right cheek, shaking her head.  
"No, those fuckers are dead." She stated, eerily calm, as she locked her eyes with his, and he nodded understandingly. "However, some yahoo wants to start sacrificin' people because he believes that'll keep the clickers away." She continued, removing her hand and ticking her chin towards a younger man standing next to the leader. "That's him, the crazy guy who believes there's some Cordyceps god he can sacrifice people too to keep the infected away." Joel scoffed at the notion and Mickey nodded. "Yeah, I share that sentiment."  
"Why not band together and take these guys out?" Mickey eyes him, her brows corrugated in concern.  
"Seriously?" She asked, waving her hands about her person. "This isn't much of a life, but here we are safe. We have a roof over our head, again for the first time in years since this shit started, I don't have to worry if that sound outside my window is a runner."  
"Now you just gotta worry you could be sacrificed." Joel rebutted, and Mickey glared at him, but having no response to his point because she knew he was right, after all it had been what's been keeping her awake all these nights, she just turned her attention back to the group of villagers.  
"Everyone here except us is under their spell. They torture the ones who aren't. We just smile and nod to keep ourselves hidden."  
"Well...we could help you out." Mickey's lips parted slightly in shock, turning her face back to Joel, the gears obviously turning in her head. Why would they wanna help us? They just met us. What's in it for them? What's their angle? Were all the thoughts winding their way through her brain.   
"Why? What's in this for ya?" She snapped very defensively, that trademark scowl back on her face, and Joel sighed, hanging his head, shaking it ruefully.  
"Nevermind. Fix it yourselves then." Joel picked up the food and walked away, leaving Mickey alone with her thoughts.


	2. Love Bites (And So Do I)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joel and Ellie find themselves on the edge of Mickey Two-Knives territory, and he warns Ellie that they must be careful, as Mickey is not one to be messed with.

Chapter 2: Love Bites (And So Do I)

~Present Day~  
"Hey, wake up." Ellie's voice broke through Joel's fitful slumber and he grumbled, slowly opening his eyes and waving her away.  
"I'm up, I'm up." He complained, sitting up and stretching, as Ellie's eyes studied him hard. "What?" She sighed, standing from her couched position.   
"You were talking in your sleep." She offered softly. "Again. You do it a lot." Joel scoffed, standing up from the makeshift bed on the floor, all his joints cracking, and he groaned.  
"What I say?" He asked, grumpily, and Ellie shrugged, gathering her things and stuffing them back into her backpack.  
"Something about Scavengers. A mistake. Nothing like groundbreaking or anything." Joel hung his head, he had been having a dream about Mickey Two-Knives. A woman he hasn't thought about in ten years now. He rubbed his forehead and turned back to Ellie, a serious look on his face.  
"Look, all I'm gonna say about it is, we gotta be extremely careful through this next area." Ellie tilted her head at the older man in confusion.  
"More infected? We can handle them, no problem." Joel pursed his lips together, shaking his head, not sure how to tell Ellie exactly why they had to be so wary about this territory that was once known as the Appalachian Mountains, back when names of things mattered.  
"Not exactly. From what I've heard and read along our way here. This is Mickey Two-Knives new huntin' grounds."  
"Mickey Two-Knives?" Ellie sounded just like Joel had the first time he learned that firecrackers name and he shook his head, as he donned his pack.  
"Trust me, don't let that cartoonish name fool ya. She's a menace. She earned that name for a reason." Ellie shrugged, unconvinced, scoffing loudly, brushing passed Joel and he sighed.  
"Anyone who has a name like that sounds like they're living in a video game." She offered on a long sigh, her arms swinging as she walked and Joel followed along behind her, catching up to her quickly.  
"Ellie, trust me. Just stay behind me ok? And if we do see her, whatever you do, don't say that to her." Ellie rolled her eyes, but deep down she knew that since Joel was so cautious around this Mickey person it had to be for a reason. 

She looked around them as they were walking along quietly, even though she's seen woods now, back around Boston, they just looked...different here.   
"This place is really...green." She whispered to Joel and he made an affirming sound.  
"Yeah, real pretty. It's always been a beautiful area, even before nature retook everything."   
"You been here before now. Well, before all of this?" She asked, catching back up to Joel, as he crouched, listening carefully to their surroundings.  
"Yeah, long time ago. With Tommy. Our Glorious Hiking Trip, he called it." She smiled at him.  
"You guys ride your Harleys here?" He nodded, motioning for her to stay back while he checked something out. He climbed over the log, easily walking, staying close to the ground, when something whizzed by his face, barely missing slicing off his nose, and it embedded itself in the tree beside him.  
"Shit!" He shouted, standing and staggering back a few steps, looking around until his eyes landed on a throwing knife. His eyes narrowed, studying it closely, stepping closer to it.  
"I thought I told ya if I ever saw ya again I'd kill ya, Joel." It was Mickey, she stepped out into the clearing, both of her bowie knives in her hands ready to fight him. Joel spun around to see her standing before him, not looking like she's aged much since the last time they had a standoff. "Ya got some big fuckin' balls comin' into my area." She snarled at him, taking another menacing step towards him, which to Ellie, just looked comical because of their size difference. Joel held out his hands in a placating manner, as she moved closer to him, bound and determined to fight him. She couldn't believe after 10 years, she's seeing his fucking face again. "Shoulda went around the mountains."  
"I couldn't do that, Mickey, you know that, now, just calm down." Her nostrils flared, her hazel-green eyes furious, her pale face was growing redder by the second.  
"Calm down?!" She shouted at him as she lunged towards him, knives raised to strike, Joel grabbed his gun and was about to shoot when Mickey got tackled from the side by Ellie. They fell in a heap a few feet away from Joel.   
"You're not gonna fucking kill Joel, I'll kill you first!" At first Mickey was too dazed to react to this small teenager on top of her, but after a few ticks, she easily bucked Ellie off of her. Ellie was on her feet quickly, her own gun drawn too. Mickey scrambled to her feet, gathering her knives again, staring at the both of them, but more so at Ellie. She was calculating her age, trying to determine if Joel had a daughter again.  
The wheels were turning, Joel could see that, after spending as much time with her as he had all those years ago, he knew when she was lost in her thoughts.  
"She's not my daughter." Joel answered causing Mickey to look at him in mock surprise, replacing his gun at the small of his back, his hands outstretched again in a show of pacifism.   
"Yeah, I gathered that one. She's what 13? Unless ya had…" She nearly said "one", knowing Joel had once, in fact, had a daughter, she bit her tongue. "Her, before we met up."  
"She's right here." Ellie quipped, motioning towards herself as she watched the two adults before her interacting, following Joel's example, and putting her gun away. Mickey looked back to her, her eyes looking her up and down before averting her gaze from her back to Joel.  
"Why are ya here?" The same question, 10 years later, the same cadence of speaking, the same distrusting eyes.  
"We're just passed through." She frowned at him, remembering the night she first met him and the anger and sadness rose in her, and Joel could see it in her eyes. Ellie looked between them, so many questions filling her brain. What had happened between them? "I'm just trying to get to Tommy."   
"Yeah...tried to kill him a few years ago, too, when he came through these parts." She still hadn't put her knives back in their sheaths on her thighs, so Joel knew not to make any sudden movements. Mickey may looked relaxed, but she was still poised to strike him. "Surprised ya two split ways." She made her way around them to the tree, never turning her back on either of them, switching one bowie knife to her other hand long enough to retrieve her throwing knife, and she replaced it in her pouch.  
"We had some differences-" Mickey clucked her tongue, shaking her head, smiling sarcastically at him, both her hands armed again.  
"Wasn't askin' because I don't fuckin' care." Ellie chuckled then, causing Mickey to turn her attention to the young girl again.   
"Don't encourage her, Ellie." Joel warned, and Ellie rolled her eyes over exaggeratedly, motioning to Mickey.  
"That shit was funny though." She pointed out and Mickey smiled at her, nodding approvingly.  
"I like this kid already. Name's Mickey Two-Knives." She replaced one bowie knife in its sheath, to hold out the hand for Ellie to shake.  
"Ellie." Joel sighed as he watched the two females shaking hands, finally relaxing his posture, stepping towards them, only for another knife to be thrown in his direction, ducking just in time. His hands flew up to shield his face, looking back towards where the knife sat in another tree.  
"Dammit, Mickey." He cursed at her and she squatted down next to him, leaning her head down down to catch his eyes, her hands dangling between her legs as her forearms rested on her knees.  
"Don't think that just because I like the girl here that it means I forgive ya for what ya did." She stated, before tapping his scruffy chin with her index finger, causing Joel to give her a stern look as they locked glares. "I'm only gonna help ya through these here parts because of that girl. If she weren't here, I'd have killed ya." Elloe let out a frustrated scoff.  
"Man, fuck off lady, we got this far without you-"  
"Ellie." Joel stated sternly, and Mickey held his gaze, still smiling sarcastically at him.   
"Keep that spirit kid. It'll get ya a long way." Mickey let Joel go, standing back to her full height, spinning on her heels to face Ellie. "But don't think for a minute that ya understand what happened between Joel and me."   
Mickey walked passed Ellie, the young girl watching Mickey's back as she grew smaller from the distance, but Mickey stopped, looking over her shoulder.   
"Y'all comin'?" Joel sighed to himself, standing up straight, and moving to retrieve Mickey's knife for her.  
"Not even breathin' hard." He muttered to himself, turning the knife this way and that, before adding it to his shivs.  
"D'you say something, Joel?" Ellie asked, but he just shook his head.  
"Nothing important." He assured, before they followed along behind Mickey.

"Time hasn't been kind to you, huh?" Joel asked, causing Mickey to make a 'tsch' sound, cutting her eyes sharply at him, looking him over as they walked through the abandoned streets of this mountain town.  
"You're no panty dropper yourself." She snapped back, and Joel gave her a sour look. Ellie walked along behind them, shaking her head at the obvious sexual tension between them.   
"Like I'd be trying to impress you that way anyway." He retorted, as both their heads were on a swivel, checking out their surroundings.   
"Like ya could ever get into my pants." She held a hand out, palm down, a gesture of stay still and get down. "People still invade my territory from time to time. I gotta big area, hard to patrol it all by myself." She whispered, as she crouched down, pointing at a few lone people, who were digging through the cars. "Been more of 'em lately."  
"Why not recruit them?" Ellie asked, and Mickey looked at her, shrugging a shoulder.  
"What can I say, people aren't really my thing anymore." She stated pointedly at Joel, who rolled his eyes.  
"What do you want me to say, Mickey? Sorry?" He asked, flippantly, and she growled at him, eyes flooding with tears that she blinked away quickly.  
"Sorry won't cut it, ya asshole." She stated coldly, and Ellie sighed, rubbing her face, exasperated already with these two.  
"You guys are supposed to be the adults here. I shouldn't have to tell you to pay attention." Joel and Mickey looked over their shoulders at Ellie, who was giving them both a stern look and Joel sighed.  
"She's right, ya know." Mickey stated, looking back at the group which had now grown in size and she cursed. "Oh, what the fuck. Seriously? Why is it that whenever ya show up on my doorstep, shit happens?" Mickey grumbled, shoving Joel by his shoulder and Ellie pushed her in return. "Look kid, I like ya, but I'm ain't above killin' a child." Mickey warned, and Ellie scoffed.  
"That's real goddamn noble of you." Joel eyed them both, it was like having two Mickey's now, and who the hell needs that?   
"Nobility died with the humans, or haven't ya heard?" Ellie frowned at the older woman, challenging her.  
"How the hell are humans gonna come back from this if that's how you feel?" That shut Mickey up quickly, how could she have forgotten that over these last ten years? She hung her head, chewing on her bottom lip mulling over those words, knowing it's how she used to believe before her life fell apart. She finally nodded, looking back at Ellie.  
"Ok, kid, I'll give ya that one. I'm sorry." Mickey looked back up to see Joel's shocked face and she scowled at him again. "What the hell is that look for?"  
"I...don't think I've ever heard you say I'm sorry." Mickey scrunched her nose at Joel, feeling fury only he knows how to cause rise in her.  
"Oh, fuck off Joel." They both glared daggers at one another and Ellie rolled her eyes again.  
"Are we gonna confront them?" She asked, trying to subvert another argument between them and Mickey nodded.  
"Of course, this is my fuckin' territory after all." Joel shook his head, pointing his finger towards the nearly 20 people now.  
"There's too many, Mickey." He pointed out and she snorted at him, rolling her eyes.  
"That'll just make it more interestin'. Don't tell me you're scared now, Joel." She countered and Joel shook his head, looking at Ellie, a warning that she stay here.  
"I'm not letting you go out there alone." Joel stated, pulling his gun from the small of his back, and Mickey waved her hand flippantly.  
"You ain't letting me? Honey, ya can't control me." She quipped, vaulting over the barricade and running head first towards the group.   
"She's crazy!" Ellie shouted at Joel, as he turned to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.   
"Stay here and take people out when you can, but do not leave cover." She nodded, getting her own gun out and moving closer to the barricade, as Joel leaped over it, following Mickey into the fray.


	3. Color My World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Travel back to ten years ago, Mickey and Joel are getting closer. Gina realizes this and isn't happy at all.

Chapter 3: Color My World

~10 Years Ago~  
Tommy and Joel were beginning to overstay their welcome as far as Mickey was concerned at first, but Gina had seemed to have taken a liking to the Texas born brothers quickly. They kept putting ideas in Gina's head about over throwing the camp here, and Mickey kept changing the subject.  
She couldn't deny having the two men around was helpful, she was loath to admit it though. They helped fix up different things around their small house, that Gina nor Mickey were good at repairing. She learned Joel used to work as a carpenter in construction and even wanted to start his own business before everything went to shit.  
She also was loath to admit that the more she spoke with Joel, the more she began to warm up to him. Before hell broke loose, if she had known him, she feels they would have been friends, or at the very least drinking buddies.  
"So, what did you do before all this?" Joel inquired, Mickey chuckled, handing Joel another nail, holding the bucket against her chest, and she smiled up at him.  
"I was a singer." She admitted, shrugging. "Nothin' big time, just local bars and shit." Joel lowered his hammer, looking down at her from his spot on the ladder.  
"Seriously? You know I wanted to be a singer too." Mickey laughed, not at him, just at how they shared something in common, it genuinely surprised her.   
"I did not know that. Why didn't ya?" His face became stern again, his mind going to his past once more, and he shook his head.  
"Things just...changed, and I couldn't." Mickey's smile faded, wondering what happened but didn't want to pry, after all, she wasn't sharing all of her secrets either. The "bars" she had been singing at weren't regular bars, she had played in several gentlemans clubs because the money was good. She fucking hated having to sing there, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do to pay the bills that just kept mounting. She had to lie about her age and everything, luckily the clubs were very shady and didn't ask too many questions. As long as the girls were attractive enough and could perform, they didn't care.   
"I wanted to go to Nashville, make it a career, but things changed for me too." She confessed, shrugging her shoulders again. "My dad got sick, and I had to work at...unsavory places." Joel's eyes were fixated on Mickey's face as she spoke to him, and he climbed down a few rungs to be closer to her.   
"What happened to your dad?" Her eyes welled with tears, as she her gaze left his to look up at an eagle gliding along the high winds above them.  
"Cancer. He didn't make it. About 4 years before the infection hit." Joel hung his head, moving the hammer to his other hand so he could place his free one on her shoulder. He nodded to her when she looked back to him.  
"My girlfriend got pregnant in highschool. We ended up getting married and it didn't end well. I took care of our daughter, that's why I took up that carpenter job." 

Gina watched from the window at the two of them conversing between themselves as she sipped on some mint tea, Tommy joining her soon after seeing how rapted in contemplation she was.  
"What's going on?" He asked, following her gaze to his brother and Mickey, and he made a surprised noise. "Holy shit they look close, huh?" Gina looked over at Tommy, her eyes holding a feeling akin to jealousy, and it confused Tommy but he shrugged it off.  
"Yeah, real bosom buddies." It was the first time Tommy heard Gina sound so negative, and he clapped her on the shoulder, nearly making her spill her tea.  
"Hey, I wouldn't worry about it too much, girly, she's still your cousin, no matter what, right?" Gina eyeballed him again and Tommy sighed, shrugging his shoulders in a defeated manner. "I would tell him to leave her alone, but that would just make him talk to her more. He's stubborn like that. Besides, if they fall in love, y'all can come along with us." Gina frowned heavily at him, before turning and leaving him by the window. "What'd I say?" He asked, holding his arms out at his sides, confused, before he shook his head. "Women."   
Tommy looked out the window again, watching how Joel was interacting with Mickey and he smiled to himself. He hadn't seen Joel look at any woman like that since his ex, and his older brother was dense enough that he probably doesn't even realize he's doing it.

"I'm sorry about your daughter." Mickey stated, softly, as Joel came all the way down from the ladder, and he nodded quickly.  
"Sorry about your dad." Joel offered and Mickey shrugged, setting the bucket of nails down on the porch before leaning onto the railing on her forearms.   
"Sometimes...when I really think about it, I think he was lucky." She admitted, blushing at her confession, because it sounded weird even to her, and she motioned out across the encampment. "To not have to deal with this. Sometimes bein' alive is exhaustin'." Joel leaned on the railing beside her, bumping his shoulder against hers, looking out over the small shacks and houses that dotted the area.  
"I get that, but...if I had the chance to have Sarah back...I would in a heartbeat." Mickey turned her head to study his profile as he then looked up at the same eagle and a pregnant silence fell between them as they both thought about their past before Joel finally broke the silence with a small scoff. "Look at us, for the first time we aren't going for the jugular." Mickey softly laughed at him, bumping against him, before pushing off the railing to go inside.  
"Don't get used to it, Tex, maybe I'm just gettin' ya to let your guard down." She joked, shooting him a finger gun, before waving for him to come inside. "We will finish this later. Let's get some food."  
"You've never told me where you're from originally." Joel pointed out as he followed Mickey into the kitchen where Gina and Tommy were already eating.  
"We are from North Carolina." Gina replied tersely, causing both Mickey and Joel to exchange a look of concern before Mickey sat next to Gina.  
"Boone to be exact. Not too far from here." Mickey continued as she got herself a helping of baked beans and some of the fresh vegetables they had grown from their garden out back. Gina stabbed her food rather aggressively causing Mickey to look at her again, her face asking her what was wrong.  
"You guys given any more thought to attacking this town?" She asked out of the blue, causing Tommy to choke on his water. He coughed and sputtered, wiping the liquid from his face, shooting a look at Joel.  
"Well, no, because Mickey said that she wanted to stay here because you felt safe." Joel stated and Gina rolled her eyes, and Mickey finally cleared her throat.   
"Yeah, I did tell him that. Because it's true." Gina scoffed and waved her hand dismissively to Mickey, before forking more veggies on her plate.  
"I'm done with this town. I want to try." She placed her fork on the table, before stabbing her finger on the table repeatedly to drive her point home. "This place isn't living. They're controlling and I'm tired of it."  
"We can just leave-" Mickey began but Gina held up her hand to silence her girlfriend, which caused Mickey's own anger to rise.  
"I'm not leaving these people to suffer, we have to do something!" She slammed her palms onto the table, causing the plates to rattle, and Mickey just glared at her.  
"I'm not gonna risk your life for these people either. We can't risk killin' ourselves for 'em, we can't save everyone Gina!" Mickey snapped back, slamming her own hands on the table with more force than Gina had, and Joel and Tommy just leaned back to watch. Joel was beginning to feel a little tinge of guilt because inadvertently he caused this fight between them. He rubbed a hand over his face as the two girls continued to argue.  
"That's all you ever do, only think about us, never anyone else. That is...until he came along." Everyone at the table froze, Gina's green eyes glaring fire at Joel, and Mickey just looked at Gina in confusion.  
"You're the one who wanted 'em to stay here!" Gina turned her green fire to Mickey.  
"Yeah, and ya were fuckin' threatenin' him a month ago, and now look at the two of ya." Gina's normally tame accent grew thicker as her anger rose, and stood from the table so fast her chair toppled over and Mickey stood up not long after her, pointing up at her slightly taller girlfriend.  
"Isn't that what ya wanted? Me to be miss popularity?" Gina growled turning on her heel quickly, storming off to their shared bedroom. Mickey pinched the bridge of her nose, before gathering all her blond dreads to her left shoulder, and she looked at the men. "Sorry, finish your dinner. I'm gonna go calm her the fuck down." 

"Gina, what the actual fuck?" Mickey whisper shouted at her as she slammed the door behind her.  
"I see the way ya look at him, Mickey!" She shouted, gesturing in Joel's general direction and Mickey was honestly confused.  
"What are you talkin' about?" Gina gave her a warning look, balling her fists tightly, she would never strike Mickey, but the thought of punching Joel out has crossed her mind a few times.  
"Like just out there on the porch! The way ya were smilin' at him! It's how ya used to look at me…it's just like how ya used to look at me." Gina's breath hitched in her throat and her sentence faded, and she hugged arms around herself, her anger quickly fleeting to heart break. Mickey's eyebrows were raised in surprise, until she barked out an incredulous laugh, slapping her own knee as she doubled over in her mirth.  
"Me? Like Tex? Please Gina, be serious." Mickey reached out and placed her hands on Gina's shoulders, giving her a small shake to get her to look into Mickey's eyes. "Are ya really that worried about him? I'm just tryin' to like 'em both like ya do." She shrugged, pulling Gina in for a tight hug, which Gina was about to return when a knock on the door startled them both.  
Mickey released Gina and turned to the bedroom door, opening it to reveal Tommy, who had a pretty concerned look on his face.  
"Guy named Ansen is at the door." Mickey's pale face grew slightly more pale as she looked over her shoulder at Gina. Ansen was the leader of the cult, why was he here suddenly? Mickey brushed passed Tommy to find Joel at the door talking to Ansen, whose gruff face void of any emotion until his steely blue eyes landed on Mickey, and a dark smile crossed his face.  
"Ah, Mickey, there you are. Just the girl I wanted to talk to." She tilted her head, smiling just as darkly at him, before motioning to the couch for him to sit. "Thank you." He nodded to her, moving deeper inside the room to the couch.  
"Would ya like some mint tea?" Mickey offered, his tight smile was unnerving as he shook his head.  
"No thank you, I have business to discuss with you and your...friends." His eyes slid to Tommy and Joel as Mickey motioned for everyone to sit. "You have been here with us for...a month now, is it?" Tommy nodded, trying to sit comfortably under this man's scrutinizing gaze. "Been using some of our resources as well." Mickey knew where this was going, and she sat forward on the edge of her armchair, waving her hand.  
"We have been havin' 'em eat outta our own personal garden, Ansen." She corrected him, but all he did was smile, his eyes hard as he watched her as she spoke to him.  
"They have used our water. Attended our feast two weeks ago. They have been interacting well with the others in town. I think the time has come to ask if they are planning on staying here permanently." Mickey cut her eyes up at Joel who had absentmindedly sat on the left armrest of her chair, her hazel green eyes trying to convey to him to tell Ansen they were leaving soon.  
"We were all just discussing this before you showed up, actually." Gina interjected herself into the conversation, her voice and accent calmer now and Mickey glared at her girlfriend. She had no idea what Gina was trying to do here. "They want to join." Joel's hand gripped onto Mickey's shoulder to keep her seated, shaking his head subtlety at her when she glared up at him, now was not the time to lose their cool.  
"Splendid!" Ansen cheered, slapping his palms down on his thighs, standing to his feet. "That's wonderful to hear. I'll get the preparations together and four days from now, we will set up the ceremony for them to join." Gina smiled at him, taking his arm as she lead him back to the front door, discussing how much fun this was going to be.   
Mickey cursed under her breath, frustration mounting as Joel gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, Tommy was watching them closely. Whatever Gina has planned, Tommy had a bad feeling about it all.

Gina came back in the house after walking Ansen away, smiling to herself, shutting the door behind her.  
"We have four days to prep for this." She stated vaguely and Mickey made an incredulous noise. "This is gonna be easy. All we have to do is cut the head off the snake and everything dies." Mickey shook her head, standing from her seat, Joel's hand getting knocked away, and she glared at Gina.  
"This is a bad idea. We should just leave. We could sneak-" Gina cut her off with a simple look, storming back into their room, slamming the door closed.  
Mickey sighed heavily, slowly sitting back down in the chair, leaning back, rubbing her hand over her face.  
"If you want, we could still sneak away." Joel suggested and she looked up at him as if he just spoke in another language to her.  
"I'm not leavin' Gina here. After all this, if we turn up missin', they may decapitate her in front of the camp, usin' her as an example." She explained, punching the armrest on her right side. "She's basically fucked us all, and now ya guys either have to join this fuckin' cult, or we go through with your plan to overthrow them." She stood up from her chair, and walked outside to breath in the crisp early evening air.

"Joel...what have you been talking to Mickey about exactly?" Tommy asked, once they were in the spare bedroom and Joel hummed in question. "I'm assuming when you said 'we' you meant you and me, right?" Joel turned to Tommy then, looking at him strangely before shrugging.  
"Obviously." Tommy blinked, chewing on the inside of his cheek, still feeling off put by this whole situation. Had Joel not noticed that Mickey had subconsciously included herself in this sneaking off scenario? Something is telling Tommy they shouldn't leave, because they would kill both of the girls, but something was also telling him they shouldn't fight these people either. What if Gina's thought of cutting off the head of the snake was wrong? There's so many people here that if they retaliated, they would all die. Those thoughts kept Tommy awake that entire night.


End file.
